The court suspended all legal proceedings against the pair until it decides on the proper jurisdiction for the case.

Gere embraced and kissed Shetty on her cheek at a public AIDS awareness event in New Delhi last month, prompting Hindu hard-liners to allege the pair had offended the sensibilities of India's traditionally conservative culture.

The case has grabbed headlines, although the allegations have failed to stir any wider outrage among Indians, most of whom have responded with either mocking bemusement or utter indifference.